1. Field of Invention
The present application pertains to a desiccant containing package and combined filter for use in an integrated condenser dryer and more particularly relates to an improved combination of desiccant pouch or bag and associated filter for insertion into an integrated condenser dryer chamber of a vehicle or mobile air conditioning system.
2. Background
Mobile air conditioning systems typically include an integrated condenser dryer chamber or receiver chamber that serves as an accumulator reservoir for refrigerant. The dryer chamber provides a convenient location for a container or package of desiccant material, usually a bag or pouch of mesh material, which absorbs water vapor from the liquid refrigerant reservoir. The pouch is normally spaced from the top and bottom of the chamber by elongated rod-like structures sometimes referred to as “stand off” members that serve to locate the pouch at the proper location in the chamber so that it will be positioned properly with respect to location of fluid entry and exit channels that communicate with the chamber from the header.
Most of these chambers are in the form of small diameter tubular receivers that are juxtaposed along one of the condenser headers in an integrated condenser/receiver for an automotive air-conditioning system or the like. These integrated condenser/receiver structures eliminate the need for separate tubing to connect the condenser with the receiver and have become popular due to their reduced spatial requirements as compared with earlier designs. For instance, the overall dimensions of one integrated condenser/receiver proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,249 are from about 300 mm-400 mm in height and about 300 mm-600 mm in width.
In the integrated condenser/receiver design proposed in the '249 patent, the axes of the receiver canister and the associated header lie parallel to each other and are positioned adjacent the condensing unit. The desiccant-containing package positioned in the receiver dries refrigerant fluid (and the oil and moisture entrained therein) before the dried refrigerant enters a supercooler unit formed integrally with the condenser. Ultimately, when the desiccant material becomes saturated with contaminants, the desiccant material is spent and must be replaced.
Whether the desiccant material is being installed initially in the tubular chamber or whether it is being removed and replaced with a fresh desiccant package, it is desirable that a single desiccant containing unit be easily gripped and placed in the chamber for ease of insertion and withdrawal. Further, to ensure proper spacing from the top and bottom of the chamber, stand off members should be provided, that are preferably integrally with the desiccant containing structure.